Out of the Abyss
by mrsweasley5
Summary: War is hell. Can Harry and Ron help Ginny and Hermione survive one of the most horrific experiences anyone can face? COMPLETE!


Disclaimer: I cannot and will not take any credit for any of J.K. Rowling's brilliance!

Out of the Abyss

Chapter1: Bright Spots

Harry surveyed the outside of The Burrow just as he'd done many summers since he was twelve. Mr. Weasley had just rescued him from the Dursley's with a Ministry car, one of the many perks that came along with his promotion to the Head of Magical Law Enforcement. It was, of course, enchanted and fit in all of Harry's belongings easily. He had been extremely grateful for this. Whatever helped hasten his departure from his horrible family was fine by him.

No sooner had he walked into the house when Hermione greeted him with a high-pitched squeal followed by one of her famous vise grip hugs.

"I didn't know _you _were here as well!" he exclaimed.

"Surprise!"

"When did you get here?"

"Yesterday…my parents decided to spend less time out of the country on holiday this year, what with the war and all. So I was able to get away for a little while and make the trip here to actually celebrate a certain person's birthday with him for a change.

"When Ron owled that you would be spending the rest of your summer here and asked me to come," she added after a reflective pause, "I wasn't sure I…I almost didn't _want_ to leave home. I keep thinking that maybe next time Mum and Dad won't be…."

Harry stopped his levitating trunk mid-way up the stairs and nodded. She didn't need to finish, he understood perfectly.

"Oi! You two! Waiting for this trunk to do some brilliant acrobatics or something?"

"Ron!" Harry shouted in greeting while Hermione rolled her eyes.

"We were just thinking about the war and the uncertainty of life right now, Ronald."

"Ugh! How depressing!"

"Yeah," Harry agreed as he levitated his trunk the rest of the way up the stairs. "It really was. Thanks for snapping us out of it."

Ron clapped Harry on the shoulder as he stepped up to the landing. "No problem, Mate! See Hermione? I was improving the mood."

She shot him a scathing look.

Those two, thought Harry. They need to have a really good snog soon or they're going to explode.

"Mum finally took out Percy's things and made this a guest room," Ron explained as they walked inside. "She didn't sell them though. Put them in the attic. I guess she's hoping he'll, you know…"

"…stop being a total git?" finished Harry.

"Exactly!"

Harry went downstairs to get Hedwig and she hooted at him reproachfully for leaving her waiting so long. He apologized profusely and offered her some biscuit from the kitchen as he walked upstairs with her to his room. The conversation was light as Hermione and Ron watched Harry unpack.

"Harry!" Ron exclaimed suddenly.

"Yes?"

"It's your birthday!"

"Don't tell me you _forgot_, Ron," Hermione said.

"No!" he shot back. "It's just –oh! I _did_ forget _something_. Happy Birthday, Mate!"

"Thanks, Ron!"

"Anyway… You're_ seventeen!_"

"And…?"

"AND….? Did you _Apparate _here?"

"Ron!" said Hermione.

"What now?" asked Ron through gritted teeth?

"Harry probably hasn't had a chance to get his license yet. And besides," she continued, "I imagine it would be quite difficult to Apparate with a large trunk _and_ an owl."

Ron shot a glance at Harry who just shrugged his shoulders. This was his usual reply when he agreed with Hermione but didn't want to take sides. Ron scowled and Harry knew the mood would be tense at _least_ until dinner if someone didn't switch gears soon.

"Actually, your Dad picked me up," he said and thankfully, Ron took the bait.

"Oh, the car!" he said proudly. "Yeah, now I remember! Dad mentioned he was thinking about using it to fetch you. Except for the annoying extra security precautions this promotion has been great for us, especially Mum. She's been able to buy so many things new now that she used to get second hand. Yeah, Dad's new job has been one of the few _bright_ spots in life lately."

They all let out solemn sighs then brightened when Mrs.Weasley's cheery voice sounded from the kitchen.

"Time for dinner everyone!"

"Thank goodness!" Ron exclaimed. "I'm _starving!_"

"You're _always_ starving, Ron," interjected Hermione.

"You know what?" Harry added, trying to hold off another row. "I'm starving too! How about we go downstairs?"

This seemed to at least result in an uneasy truce and they all left the room. As they made their way down the hall Harry noticed someone had beaten them to the landing and his stomach did a peculiar flip. He stared open-mouthed as he tried to convince himself this beautiful creature couldn't be Ginny Weasley, little sister of his best friend. No, this person looked very grown up with ….well she had very grown up parts, that's for certain. She had to be some sort of cousin or something.

She wasn't.

"Hey, Ginny!" Ron shouted at his sister. "Look who's here!"

"Harry!" she exclaimed .She ran over to him and gave him a tight hug. It was a lot like the vise-grip Hermione gave him earlier but he didn't seem to mind as much. In fact, he was rather enjoying himself. He forced himself not to close his eyes and he fervently hoped she didn't notice that his heart was pounding. They _both _seemed to realise that the hug was lasting a bit longer than was usual for two "friends" though and they pulled away from each other quickly.

"Uh…Ni -nice to see you, Gin," he stammered. What was wrong with him? Why was his mouth so dry? "Y….You look really, uh…." He stole a glance at Ron, suddenly nervous about what his friend's reaction would be if he complimented his baby sister. Ron somehow managed to look both curious and angry at the same time so Harry decided to play it safe.

"Er…. Great to see you!" he finished in a voice a little too high. He blushed crimson and looked away. But out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw her smiling at him shyly.

For reasons he couldn't begin to understand, this made his heart soar.

Hermione cleared her throat nervously, attempting futilely to hide a knowing grin. "Maybe we all should ….uh…."

"Maybe you all should come down and eat before everything's _gone_," Mrs. Weasley finished for Hermione from the bottom of the stairs. "There are quite a bit of people here you know."

"Yes, Mum."

"Yes, Mrs.Weasley."

Harry turned to follow the girls down the stairs but Ron put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"What was that all about?" he asked accusingly.

"What was all what about?" said Harry, trying to sound casual.

"All that between you and my sister just now?"

"Sorry Ron. Haven't a _clue_ what you're talking about."

"Uh-huh," replied Ron. "Sure you don't."

Harry walked downstairs to the kitchen, sure enough; almost all of the places around the table were taken despite the fact that it had been enlarged magically. Bill and a very pregnant Fleur were there along with their twin girls. Charlie was there with, surprisingly, Tonks. She was positively beaming and they both looked like they were sharing some secret. Fred was sitting with two witches he didn't recognize, one about Fred's age and one older with a strong resemblance to the younger witch. George seemed to be dateless but he kept talking to the older witch and shooting knowing looks Harry's way. He groaned inwardly wondering what devious plan George (and Fred, of course) had concocted for his birthday.

Harry tried to find a seat as far away possible as Ginny to avoid giving Ron more cause for suspicion. He managed to accomplish this only partly however because he found himself on the opposite side of the table. This, he realized with horror, still kept Ginny in his line of vision. He just didn't think he could keep from staring at her at dinner. And to make matters worse, he noticed that, just like most meals since he was eleven, _Ron _was sitting next to him. He decided he didn't want his best friend to interrogate him with brotherly eyes every time he looked Ginny's way and jumped up quickly to move. But it was too late. All of the other chairs were full.

Harry was certain that Mrs.Weasley's cooking was as wonderful as always but he just couldn't keep his eyes, or his mind for that matter, on his food. Ginny seemed to have some magnetic pull on him. What was so alluring about her now? Harry tried to survey her as objectively and unobtrusively as possible.

Her outfit wasn't anything spectacular, just shorts and t-shirt.

_Yeah but it's a **fitted **t-shirt,_ a voice told him. _And what about all those "not -so-little-girl" parts? _

**_Stop it! _**He told the voice, horrified at what he was thinking.

Her hair was the same color.

_With beautiful highlights of all **sorts** of shades and long, loose curls cascading down her back._

_**That's enough!**_

Her face seems to be the same.

_With big, deep, brown eyes and beautiful, pink, lips that **must **be **fantastic **to kiss._

"Ow!" Ron had stepped on Harry's foot under the table. "That hurt!"

"That's what you get for staring at my sister and licking_ your lips!"_

Harry turned beet red with mortification and fervently hoped Ron couldn't read minds or he'd_ really _be done for.

A few minutes later however, a fantastic opportunity for revenge presented itself. Harry noticed Ron staring at Hermione.

He hesitated a moment trying to decide how best to savor the situation. He finally decided to play the protective older brother role for Hermione and awarded Ron with a stomp as well.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Turn about's fair play, Mate," Harry replied, hiding his mouth behind his glass and staring straight ahead so people wouldn't notice their odd behavior.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. He was trying to sound indignant but his ears were turning pink. Oh, this _was _fun.

"Well," Harry explained," Hermione doesn't have an older brother to look out for her interests. So when someone's staring-"

"I WAS _NOT_ STARING!"

Ron was now the object of stares from everyone at the table and he blushed from his neck to his hairline, deciding to become intensely interested in his food.

"Look, Ron…I'll try to ignore you when you're staring…um…off into space or wherever, and you can do your best to ignore me." Ron grunted something that sounded affirmative and they left it at that.

Suddenly there was the_ clink, clink, clink _sound of someone trying to get everyone's attention with cutlery and glass. As the table became quiet, people became exited to realize it was Charlie standing up seemingly ready to make some sort of announcement.

"First of all, I'd like to apologize to Harry for stealing some of the spotlight on his birthday," he began.

"No problem!"

Charlie raised his glass to him in acknowledgement and continued. "Tonks came to dinner tonight wearing something hidden by the Unobtrusiveness Charm. The object," he paused as he got out his wand and picked up Tonks' left hand, "resides on this finger." Realization slowly began to dawn on some of the faces at the table, especially the married women.

"So without further ado," Charlie said, removing the charm and revealing a gorgeous diamond ring, "Tonks and I would like to announce our engagement."

So _that's _what they were up to. There were cheers, handshakes, jovial slaps on the back, hugs; the usual scene of joy after such an announcement. Mrs. Weasley was, of course, crying. Ginny and Hermione looked like they were about to. Ron and Harry both rolled their eyes and looked at each other as if to say "Women", the previous awkwardness of earlier forgotten.

Soon, however, everyone heard more rhythmic clinking and looked over to see George banging on _his_ glass. Harry's light feeling was suddenly replaced by a brick of dread in his stomach as he remembered the looks he was getting from George earlier that evening.

"All right there Harry?" he asked, noticing his friends skin had turned somewhat green then following Harry's gaze toward his troublemaking brothers. "Oh, you _don't think_…. that is…. I'm sure they wouldn't do anything _too_ horrible after Charlie's announcement. Might ruin everyone's good mood." Ron said, changing tacks and trying to sound reassuring. It wasn't working.

Harry didn't trust himself to answer. He simply sat down again quietly with everyone else, dreading the inevitable. George's family looked suspiciously at him also; they knew him only too well. The only people seemingly at ease were Fred (naturally), and the twins' guests. In fact, Harry noticed, the women seemed to even know what was going on. His curiosity was piqued and his anxiety lessened a little. These witches, after all, seemed to be decent people.

"I see our reputation as mischief makers is still intact as you all our eyeing us with the usually suspicion," George began as Fred stood up next to him. "Harry looks especially worried as he discovered me glancing at him like a Cheshire cat throughout the evening." Everyone turned to Harry who immediately wanted to disappear into a big whole in the ground.

"We are here to assure you," Fred announced, taking over for his brother as he sat down again next to the older witch, "that our birthday gift is perfectly innocent and we're _certain,_ Mr. Potter, that you will enjoy it immensely. 'So without further ado' to quote my newly engaged brother," he teased, "Let me introduce my date Cecilia Douglas and her mother Lucy, whom many of you know as the Head of the Office of Magical Transportation." He paused here to let everyone acknowledge the important guest before continuing.

"You are all probably wondering why such a busy person would take time out of her life just to come to our little family gathering. Well, since my brother is dating her _wonderful_ daughter, we had her ask her mother if she wouldn't mind doing a favor for our friend Harry over there. So she has graciouslyagreed to come here tonight and, as a birthday present from us, personally give Harry his Apparation Test," he finished as gasps were heard around the table.

"Oh Harry! That's wonderful!" beamed Mrs. Weasley.

"So that's the _real _reason you're here," Mr. Weasley said to Mrs. Douglas across the table.

"Harry this is fantastic!" said a very excited Ron. "Now we can Apparate to Daigon Alley together tomorrow!"

"If I pass," said Harry, suddenly nervous.

"Oh you'll be fine," reassured Ron. "I've actually met her before and she's really rather nice. She looks stern but Apparating is serious business. Besides, it can't be any worse than my examiner. He looked and acted like he'd had _nails _for breakfast. _I_ still managed to pass."

"Besides," said Hermione as she came up behind them with Ginny in tow, "as long as you've prepared it should be quite easy. I studied most of last summer for mine and I passed easily."

"Reading it in a book is _totally _different from actually doing it, Hermione," chided Ron, standing up to face her and sounding like the know-it-all for a change.

"I know that Ron," said Hermione defensively.

"I think Harry will do a_ great _job," added Ginny, ignoring the latest argument between her brother and friend. She was looking only at Harry as he also stood up and faced her. Her eyes were bright and her skin was flushed which caused him to feel like a flock of butterflies had entered his stomach.

"Uh….Thanks, Gin," replied Harry nervously, wondering for the fifteenth time that day what had happened (who'd changed, him or her) to make her so beautiful.

After a fabulous dessert of Mrs. Weasley's treacle pudding, Harry went outside with Mrs. Douglas to perform his test. His friends wanted to go with him but Mr. Weasley suggested that Harry would probably be less nervous without an audience. Harry had been thinking that very thing and was grateful Mr. Weasley said something so he didn't have to.

So Ron, Ginny, and Hermione were left to help clean up after dinner. Ginny didn't like this very much as Hermione and Ron were still silently fuming after their latest row. She tried valiantly to make pleasant, light conversation but received only monosyllabic replies and grunts so she gave up. Mr. Weasley and the twins went into the study, possibly to discuss Order business. This left Cecilia with nothing to do so she went into the kitchen to keep a very grateful Ginny company. Bill and his ever-growing family were exhausted and had to leave. Charlie and Tonks left shortly after talking to Mrs. Weasley for a while. It seemed they had to….uh, plan the wedding! Yeah that was it! Everyone gave them knowing looks as they Apparated together from the Burrow, trying unsuccessfully to look innocent.

Harry's Apparition test was difficult but he passed and soon came in holding his license. He didn't realize it would give him such a feeling of freedom. He decided to look for Ron and found him with his father saying goodbye to George, Fred, Cecilia, and Mrs. Douglas.

"Harry!" Ron shouted. "You all right there, Mate?" he teased, noticing the dazed expression on his face as he held his precious piece of parchment.

"It's brilliant isn't it?" he added.

"What? Oh…. Sorry, yeah, it's absolutely brilliant," he replied dreamily. He couldn't wait to see the look on the Dursley's faces when he popped suddenly downstairs for dinner. Then he came to his senses and realized he had other people to show this to.

"Where are Hermione and Ginny?" he asked.

Ron scowled and he became anxious thinking his friend was about to tell him off for asking about his sister. That was not the source of Ron's anger, however.

"I have no idea _where _Hermione is," he answered scathingly. He cleared his throat to calm himself down and added, "Ginny's upstairs."

Harry was too used to this to ask what Hermione had done this time and too relieved that Ron wasn't mad about Ginny. He found himself both hoping and dreading that she was alone. She wasn't.

"He can be the **biggest **prat," he heard from the landing.

"I know, Hermione," answered Ginny supportively. They were in the hallway and Hermione seemed on the verge of tears.

"I'm sorry," he said as they noticed him and Hermione quickly turned away. "I'll just go back downstairs."

"No, Harry," she answered as she turned back around touching her finger to her eye. "I'm….it's okay." Then she gasped, "Is that your license?"

"Oh….yeah," he replied sheepishly.

"Oh, let me see it," she begged.

"I knew you'd be great," Ginny reminded him with a sly grin and the flock of butterflies returned instantly to his stomach.

Late that evening, they were all in Harry's room watching him open his other presents. Hermione gave him a book (of course) titled Safe Apparating. Mrs. Weasley had knitted him yet another sweater, this time a green one. Ron gave him a bound photograph collection of famous Quidditch plays. He thanked his friends and made a mental note to thank Mrs. Weasley in the morning.

Harry thought that was the end of yet another fantastic birthday with the Weasley's until Ginny suddenly stood up and handed him a box; a look of trepidation on her face. They all eyed her curiously as Harry took it from her.

"Are you okay, Ginny?" Ron asked concerned.

She merely nodded her head as Harry tore off the wrapping, wondering why she looked so nervous. When he opened the box he was stunned.

"Oh, Ginny this is amazing!" he said quietly. It was a pewter ring embossed with a Snitch and surrounded by raised dots.

"E….each dot," she stammered before clearing her throat to find her voice, "represents the number of snitches you've caught."

Ron gave a low whistle. "Wow, Sis. That's….that's….," he said, searching for the right words.

Hermione, who thus far had maintained a strained, forced politeness with Ron, now shot him a warning look so he wouldn't say something crass about the cost of the gift. Ginny knew what her brother was trying to say and decided to explain before the uneasy peace was broken.

"I've been working at the joke shop some over the summer and, well ….anyway there you are, Harry," she said awkwardly. "Oh! I almost forgot. The jewelry shop will add on more dots for free when you catch more snitches," she finished brightly.

"It's perfect, Ginny," said Harry, putting it on. "Thank you." She did that beautiful smile-shyly-and-blush thing and his stomach did a little flip. They all sat there in an uncomfortable silence until Hermione became her ever-practical self.

"Well I suppose we should all be going to bed since we have such an early morning tomorrow," she suggested. Everyone mumbled in agreement and said good night.

Once he got into bed however, Harry found he couldn't sleep. He kept milling over the day, especially the parts with Ginny in it. What was going on with him? This was his best friend's kid sister, not some alluring seductress. _Oh yes she is, _said that little voice again._ She just doesn't realize it. _Suddenly he realized with horror exactly _where _that little voice was coming from. He decided immediately that he needed to go the loo and at least splash some cold water on his face. He probably even needed a shower.

As he stood shivering in the shower, the cold water at least _some_what helpful, he made a courageous decision: Tomorrow he was going to ask Ginny to spend some time with him…just him, in Daigon Alley. The thought of doing that alone frightened him more than what her brothers' reaction would be. What if she doesn't want to? That would make staying in the Burrow the rest of the summer very uncomfortable.

_You're being_ _ridiculous!_ He told himself. _You've faced Voldemort for God's sake!_ Nonetheless, he decided to stand in front of the mirror and practice what he would say.

Molly Weasley stepped off the landing and began to walk down the hall. She was a little concerned about her two youngest children and their friends. They had all been acting strangely since dinner. She was pretty sure what might be happening and she thought they would probably work it out themselves. Still, she had decided to check on them anyway just to make herself feel better.

She stopped at Harry's door having just looked in on Ron when she heard his voice coming from the loo. It sounded like he was talking to Ginny. Concern turned to anger at the two of them for being up so late _and_ in the bathroom alone together. She gave the door three hard raps.

Harry froze. He wasn't talking to the mirror very quietly and he was certain that whoever was in the hall had heard him.

"Harry?"

_SHITE! MRS. WEASLEY! _She didn't sound at all happy. He quickly wrapped a towel around himself and poked his head out the door.

"Oh! Hello Mrs. Weasley!" he said nervously, his voice cracking.

"Is Ginny in there with you?" she asked accusingly.

"Wha….? Oh! N-no ma'am!" Was that high voice his?

"Are you sure? I thought I heard you ask her a question," she replied, somewhere between skepticism and confusion.

"Well you did. I-I mean….she's not here." _Things are going from bad to worse_! He thought to himself as Mrs. Weasley stood there with her hands on hips waiting for a straight story.

He held his breath then blew it out, steeling himself. It was time to 'fess up.

"I was practicing," he mumbled, looking at the floor.

"Practicing? What on earth were you….?" Then it dawned on her when she saw his face. "Oh! Oh my goodness!" she said, also embarrassed but for Harry, not herself.

"Well you just go right ahead then," she continued compassionately. "But I don't think you really need to practice. She's been wishing you would ask her for some time I believe. You'll be fine. Oh," she added, walking back down the hall, "I'll make sure her brothers don't give you any grief." Harry wasn't sure he wanted her to do that. Then he realised he'd forgotten something.

"Mrs. Weasley," he called in a strained whisper, trying not to wake anyone up.

"Yes, Dear?" she asked, walking towards him.

"Thanks for the jumper," he replied gratefully.

"Oh, Your welcome, Harry. And Good luck with Ginny tomorrow," she said, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze.

All he could do was nod his thanks since he suddenly had a big lump in his throat. He watched Mrs. Weasley walk down the hall as he replayed in his head what had just happened. He closed the door, leaned against it, and groaned. It had been an intense day to say the least. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized it had been, well,_ normal. _The engagement announcement, his birthday celebration, even the craziness between Ron and Hermione and Ginny and himself; those are things _normal_ people experience under _normal _circumstances. He needed more ordinary days in his life, everyone did. He knew it wasn't possible for it to last but he hoped tomorrow would be the just as wonderfully normal as today.


End file.
